On November 18, 1978, more than 900 men, women, and children,
died by suicide and murder at the Jonestown settlement in Guyana.
The suicides and murders were committed under the direction of Reverend Jim Jones,
who was the leader of the Peoples Temple religious sect. According to Psychology Today,
"[S]uicide is usually an act of lonely desperation,
carried out in isolation or near isolation."
However, mass suicide, especially of the scale that happened at Jonestown, is extraordinarily
rare. For the last 43 years, people have questioned how one man could convince more than
900 others to knowingly kill their children and commit suicide. In addition to determining how and
why the Jonestown Massacre happened, psychologists want to make sure it never happens again.
As reported by The Washington Post, Jim Jones opened his first church in 1953,
at the age of 22. Although he was not yet formally ordained, he gained respect,
and a following, for his dedication to racial equality and human rights.
In the early 1960s, Jones was ordained as a Disciples of Christ minister
and continued to build his following at The Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church.
However, by 1965, he became obsessed with concerns about a nuclear war.
He eventually convinced his congregation to move with him to California,
where he believed they would all be safe if a nuclear war occurred. By the late 1970s,
History reports some sources estimated Reverend Jim Jones had up to 20,000 followers.
In 1974, Reverend Jim Jones signed a lease for 27,000 acres of land in Guyana,
but continued to lead his church in California. However, he sent a group
of his followers to Guyana to prepare the land for farming and to establish a compound.
In 1977, Jim Jones and more than 1,000 of his followers moved to Guyana to live in the newly
established Jonestown settlement. A little more than one year later,
more than 900 of those followers were dead. Some survivors managed to escape.
History reports the Jonestown Massacre was prompted by congressman Leo Ryan
visiting the compound. Amid reports of ongoing abuse, the congressman traveled
to the compound to check the welfare of its residents. During the visit,
several members asked the congressman to help them leave. However, the group was ambushed at
the airport and Ryan and four other people were killed. Within hours, Jones convinced
his followers to poison their children and to take their own lives. As reported by History,
Jones told them they were about to be attacked in retaliation for the ambush.
Psychologists believe Reverend Jim Jones used mental and physical abuse,
blackmail, humiliation, and threats to break his followers down and ultimately convince
them he was their savior. Those who weren't convinced were simply too frightened to leave.
As reported by Psychology Today, Jones routinely forced his followers to sign
blank power of attorney forms and false confessions to crimes,
including child molestation, to prove their loyalty to him and the church.
As reported by Psychology Today, Jones also used degradation and humiliation to exert
control over his followers. Although couples were prohibited from having sex with each other,
they were forced to have sex with Jones or other members while their spouses were
made to watch. He also humiliated his followers by making them strip
naked and criticizing their bodies in front of others.
Psychology Today also reports Reverend Jones used abuse and humiliation to weaken his followers'
willpower. However, the threats of blackmail ensured they would remain under his control.
In addition to the blackmail, Jones routinely threatened to have any defectors killed by his,
quote, "angels." Not only were many followers afraid to leave, but they were also afraid
of what might happen to any loved ones they left behind. Psychology Today reported that:
"[Jonestown became a] twilight-zone reality in which people pretended
to be enjoying a Utopian existence while living in constant fear for their lives."
"I've been here a few days and
I have… I have absolutely no complaints at all. It is really nice here."
With little willpower left, Jim Jones' followers were susceptible to his assertions that he was,
in fact, God, and that he had their best interests in mind. He also convinced them
they would be transported to another planet, where they would live in paradise if they ever died.
If you or someone you know is dealing with spiritual abuse,
you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.
You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.